


Heartbeats

by HauntedRealm



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fire Emblem Series - Freeform, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, Male My Unit | Byleth, Post-Canon, Romance, Sexual Content, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-26 06:41:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20925824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HauntedRealm/pseuds/HauntedRealm
Summary: In the aftermath of war, Edelgard shares a moment of intimacy with Byleth.





	Heartbeats

**Author's Note:**

> After beating the game five (or six?) times, here it is, my first TH work dedicated to my favourite ship. I had this scenario in mind long before release, the basic idea stayed the same while canonical information got added after I played. It took quite a while to write but I did enjoy and I look forward to writing more with these two.
> 
> I'd like to thank Zelda_Diarist again for helping me edit this piece. 
> 
> There are spoilers for the Crimson Flower route ending.

Late afternoon sun was shining over Enbarr. The gentle spring breeze came through the open window of the council chamber, blowing the documents and quills away. The people gathered inside seemed to care little about it engrossed in the discussion. It was unusually heated today. Edelgard massaged her temples listening to Ferdinand’s booming voice coming from her left and soft yet snarky replies from Hubert coming from her right. She was trying to take notes, but today her mind was slipping as she played with her quill. They had been in this room since morning. So much to be done. 

The government of the former Leicester territory, the reconstruction of Fhirdiad… The Leicester lords proved to be difficult and she braced herself for the coming confrontation between the Glaucesters and the Ordelias. The former issue went much smoother at least. She sighed, the crown feeling heavy on her head. Suddenly she wished she could just leave the palace and feel the wind on her face. Warm wind that carried the scent of the ocean… She looked at the opposite side of the table. The high backed chair was unoccupied today and maybe this was why her friends and ministers were so rowdy. 

The sound of the voices suddenly became unbearable and so did the air in the room. The Emperor stood up, making everyone go silent. 

“Thank you”, she said. “That will be enough for today. We shall continue tomorrow. We all could use a break”. 

Ferdinand tried to protest yet Dorothea put her hand over his, making him comply. Edelgard gave her friend a grateful look. She gathered her notes and quills and exchanged few words with the former Black Eagles. Caspar was happy to tell her that Ashe was getting better. Their forces encountered him and Annette in the burning Fhirdiad. Caspar took it upon himself to break Ashe’s bow in half and lead them to safety. He was kind enough to offer them to stay with him. Ashe’s burns should heal in no time according to Linhardt. Annette was unscathed, at least in the body. They were willing to lend a hand in the rebuilding of the city. 

The best news of the day, Edelgard thought to herself as she left the chamber. She walked down the marble corridor, the sound of her heels echoing along the way. The palace always felt so enormous and hollow, like a tomb. Hubert followed close by like a shadow until they reached her chambers. 

“Thank you, Hubert”, she said. “You are dismissed for today.”

“Are you certain, Your Majesty?”, he raised an eyebrow. “There are still some matters we ought to…”

“Tomorrow”, she cut him off. “You deserve some rest too. That’s an order” she added, as she saw him open his mouth in protest. “I...wish to be alone”.

“Understood”, Hubert took a bow. “And if…”

“If he comes back, send him to me at once”. 

Hubert bowed and left her. Edelgard pushed the heavy door and entered her bedroom. With a sigh of relief she took of her crown and her cape. She went to the balcony, kicking off her boots along the way. The stone beneath her feet was warm from the sun. She leaned over the railing and inhaled deeply. The wind felt like a gentle caress on her face. She gazed at the city below. It was alive with all sorts of sounds, a sign of the world slowly healing. The Emperor closed her eyes, savouring the wind, the warmth and the sounds. It would be wonderful to leave the palace, but there was too much to be done.  
As the sun was beginning to set Edelgard finally went back. She ate dinner alone at her desk before going through her notes from the meeting to prepare for the next day. She found herself unable to concentrate again, fixating on the dust floating in the reddish light. Maybe she should call it a day… 

The knock of the door brought her back to reality. She requested not to be disturbed, so it must have been…

“Come in”, she said, rising from the chair. 

She felt warm inside as Byleth entered the chamber. 

“You wanted to see me”, he said seemingly without emotion, but the Emperor could see a gentle smile forming on his lips. She walked to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. She hid her face in his chest just to hear his heartbeat for moment – a sound that would forever be a delight to her. She stood on her toes to kiss his lips which he returned eagerly. He got more used to her and her displays of affection even though they couldn’t spend as much time alone as he wished for. 

They stayed in a tight embrace for a moment before Edelgard let go of him. She helped Byleth remove his coat , gloves and armour while listening to his report. She was happy to hear that Lysithea had been of great help to their former teacher. It was a personal matter for all three of them after all…

“It’s good you two are back” Edelgard said, turning back to gather her notes and documents back into a folder. “I will need all the help I can get during tomorrow’s council. I will fill you in first thing in the morning.”

“I could just look through your notes”, Byleth proposed. “Knowing you, they are very thorough.”

To his surprise, Edelgard pressed the folder to her chest in a very protective gesture. Was she blushing, too?

“That won’t be necessary”, she said firmly and yet there was a hint of hesitation. He knew that tone all too well. 

“Were you… drawing again?”, he asked, making her squirm. 

“N-no…”, the girl replied, yet she hid the folder behind her back. Her teacher’s hand went to his chin as he gave her the intent look she remembered so well. That’s how he used to look at them at the Academy when they made up excuses, failed assignments or outright lied. He was never angry with them and they always felt compelled to tell the truth.

“Fine, I was”, she admitted, looking away. 

There it was, that gentle smile he gave her whenever she felt she was being incredibly stupid. 

“You’ve never shown it to me”, he suddenly remembered. 

“And I remember ordering you to forget it”, she raised her chin to face him, but her flushed cheeks ruined any impression of authority she could hope for. 

Byleth shook his head.

“It can’t be that bad”, he said. Again, his classroom tone. How many times had she heard him talk like that to Bernadetta? Or even to her? She wrapped her arms tighter around the folder, but her body relaxed. 

“It’s bad because I drew it from memory”, Edelgard confessed suddenly, avoiding his eyes. “When you were gone...I was starting to worry I’d forget what you looked like…”

“El...”, Byleth said, visibly saddened.

The girl tried to compose herself. 

“It’s hardly the time to get so sentimental’, she said firmly. “We should...”

She was cut off as Byleth put his hand on her cheek. It was warm, almost burned against her skin. She covered it with her own hand and sighed. It felt soothing. 

“I’m sorry”, he whispered. Edelgard shook her head. There was no need for that and yet…

“You know”, he said suddenly as if trying to find a way to brighten her mood.“I could...model for you.”

It was his turn to look flustered as she blinked rapidly. He seemed surprised by his own initiative, despite being a commander he was still uneasy when he was the center of attention. She smirked, taking this as a little victory. She lead him to the armchair in front of the fireplace. The light was getting darker by the minute, they would soon have to light the candles, but maybe she could make at least a sketch in time. 

“Sit”, Edelgard commanded. She tossed her gloves aside and grabbed a pencil and a clean sheet of paper. She sat on the floor right in front of her teacher and gave him a long, critical look. 

“Find a comfortable position. Don’t fidget”, she scolded him as he shifted somewhat uncomfortably. “Your expression should be neutral”. 

Byleth nodded and did as he was told. How unusual for him to be so obedient, Edelgard thought. She pressed the pencil to the paper and began sketching. They were silent as her gaze traveled from the drawing to her lover in a steady rhythm. Byleth soon relaxed in the armchair. How defenseless he looked without his cape and armour, she marvelled. Strangely young and almost innocent. His lips curled into that gentle smile she adored so much. He had it centuries ago when she expressed her wish to just gorge on sweets all day. Back then, she thought he was mocking her. She didn’t recognise the affection behind that smile. Or the warmth in his eyes, she thought as she outlined their shape on paper. Even then...

Edelgard’s hand shook a little. She remembered the look in his eyes when their blades clashed in the Holy Tomb. The denial and sadness which made her feel guilty all these years later. She betrayed him, she knew that. Lied to him, lead the enemy to him, put her classmates in danger. That moment she thought she lost him forever again. First to darkness, then to her betrayal. She parried his strikes as disconnected memories flew before her eyes. Him shielding her the night they met. Him walking into their classroom as their new teacher for the first time. The mock battle. The Battle of the Eagle and the Lion. The feast afterwards, where for few hours she could forget what awaited in the future. The ball when they shared a dance, both awkward and clumsy. How it seemed to last forever before propriety demanded they changed partners. The stolen moment by the Goddess Tower. His face wet with tears and rain as he knelt by his father’s body. The road to Enbarr and her coronation when he stood by her side, solemn and proud. Another sacrifice.

And yet, when he was ordered to kill her, he instead stood by her again. Despite everything she’d done. The surprise and relief made her head spin. But then came the moment she had to face him. He deserved answers, he could still walk away. She remembered the cold room in the outpost. Her teacher was silent as she spoke. Edelgard could handle his wrath, his criticism, even his disappointment but his silent pain was too much. His eyes seemed to say “you should have come to me, you should have trusted me”. Had she done that, his father wouldn’t… She didn’t deserve his forgiveness and yet there he was. There was no time to ask why, to question that. After the battle, she promised herself. And then she lost him again. They turned every stone, questioned every captured soldier and he was nowhere to be found. She spent the night in his old dormitory room. It seemed like nothing was touched there since the day he left. His notes and textbooks were still on his desk, their homework from that month was still waiting to be checked, the book he was reading was lying on the bedside table with a bookmark inside.The fires were slowly dying out, the world was silent as she curled on his bed. The sheets smelled of him. Funny, they were never physically close. Sometimes he would touch her during training to correct her posture but these moments were brief. She cherished them however, longed to feel the warmth of his hands. It made her feel safe. She would inhale his smell, hoping he never noticed. Sweat, faint smell of soap, the oil they used to preserve weapons, the spices if he was in the kitchen earlier. Tears welled in her eyes. Hubert found her like that, she remembered. He never said a word, instead he held her tight, something he’d never done before, not even when they were children. 

“El, it’s getting dark”, Byleth said softly. 

She looked around, as if surprised to see that he was right. She was drawing without thinking about it, her hand seemed to move on its own. He stood up to light the candles while she stayed in place. Her legs went numb she realised, so she shifted on the floor. 

“May I see it?”, he asked, somewhat amused as she rubbed her calves trying to regain the blood flow. He sat back in his chair, looking down on her.

Edelgard hesitated, but handed him the picture slowly. 

“I’m afraid it still doesn’t look like you”, she said, trying to read his face. Byleth was silent. “You hate it”, she guessed. 

“It doesn’t look like me”, he agreed, staring at the drawing. “I think you were too kind to me.”

“Too kind?” she asked, not believing her own ears. “Have you got any idea how handsome you are? Half of the girls at the Academy were madly in love with you, but it always flew over your head!”

She was embarrassed about the picture, but it soon faded away into irritation. 

He stared at her, blinking in surprise. Those beautiful eyes with long eyelashes. They were so keen when it came to everything else. 

“Were you one of them?”, he teased, as if the pieces in his head finally fell into place.

Edelgard hit him on the leg, her face burning. 

“Fool”, she said. He had that impish look on his face again, as if she was a feral kitten that he teased for amusement. “If I were one, you would have guessed”, she added, much more calmly, resting her head in his lap. 

She could hear Byleth chuckle, as he reached to stroke her hair tenderly. Another delightful sound, she mused. He changed so much in those few weeks. She observed in awe as he manifested new emotions every day. The new experience overwhelmed him at times. Sometimes he would put his hand on his chest in bewilderment caused by both the new feeling and the physical reaction to it. At those moments she could feel the sweet pain in her own heart as well. Just when she thought she’d made her final sacrifice, he came back…

She felt Byleth gently undo her buns. She sighed in relief as he combed her hair with his hands. She observed him with half-lidded eyes, soothed by his caress. She returned it, absentmindedly tracing a pattern on his leg with her fingers. To her surprise he jolted up slightly. She raised her head to look at him. Neither said anything. Lead by sudden curiosity, Edelgard slowly moved her hand up and down his thigh. Byleth’s eyes fluttered shut and his legs fell open. The drawing that he put on the armrest fell to the floor as his hand clenched on the wood. 

Edelgard felt heat spread all over her body. She continued, watching his reactions with fascination. His heavy breathing mixed with the city noise in the background. She slowly rose and sat across his lap and pulled him into a kiss. They kissed before, obviously. Slept together embracing tightly. Yet this was different...

She pressed her lips to Byleth’s neck, eliciting a soft moan. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body against his as he shuddered in pleasure. Edelgard moved to kiss his lips again, resting her hand at the back of his neck. There was hunger in his response, the kind that wasn’t there before. The girl shifted, so that she was straddling him now. She propped herself on her knees, her face above his now. Her long white hair fell on Byleth’s face, obscuring his view as she kissed him deeply again. He moved under her, stretching upwards as if to meet her. Edelgard moaned into his lips as his hands crept under her skirt, shyly at first, pulling her closer again. He tried to mimic what she did to him, she thought through the haze. She let herself be brought back to sit in his lap. He moved under her slightly and she gasped loudly as she felt him. He wanted her, she realised fully, a sudden heat wave hitting her again. Her hips moved on her own, grinding against him, eliciting gasps and low grunts. She closed the distance between them as she hid her face in his shoulder. It felt so wanton to be rubbing against him like a cat in heat, so unlike her to lose herself like this, but she found herself unable to stop, her hands roaming all over his body. She wanted to feel him more… 

Edelgard brought herself to face her lover again. His face was flushed and his lips slightly parted as he stared back at her in pure adoration. She tugged at Byleth’s tunic.

“May I…?”, she asked quietly resting her forehead against his. She felt her cheeks burn.

“Go ahead”, he replied in a low voice.

Slowly she untied the drawstrings and pushed the fabric off his shoulders exposing his toned chest. Byleth helped her to remove it completely. She admired him for a moment before putting her hands on his skin to caress him. He sighed softly as he let the girl explore him. Edelgard marvelled at how sensitive he was, despite appearing so stoic. His skin was hot to the touch. She was so engrossed that she jumped up slightly as Byleth undid the button at the back of her dress. He smiled cheekily at her surprised expression. Before she could chide him for that he traced her skin through the dress’s opening sending shivers down her spine. He moved his hands to her collar fumbling with it for a moment but coming nowhere near undoing it. He gave her an apologetic look.

Edelgard made no comments, although she had to admit he was quite adorable like that. She rarely, if ever, saw him blush. She kissed his forehead, then unclasped the gold collar by herself and dropped the ornament to the floor. She stood up and the whimper from her lover let her know she was sorely missed already. She undid the small buttons at the base of her neck that the collar hid and begin to shed the tight gown. Byleth was quick to help her. She sighed in relief as she was free from the garment, the red fabric falling at her feet like a pool of blood, leaving her in a thin petticoat. 

Byleth rose from the chair and pulled his lover closer. Then he picked her up easily, as if she was a child, and carried her to the bed. He placed her on the mattress gently, kicked off his boots and laid beside her. He put his hand on her hip moved it along the curve. She'd changed for sure. She was a girl with boyish hips when they met after all. The hand travelled up as he kept looking at her face but finding no signs of protest. He cupped her breast, making her draw a loud breath. Her nipples hardened, showing through the silk. Byleth lightly dragged a finger across one, earning quite a moan from Edelgard. Encouraged by her reaction, he did that again to both breasts this time. The girl arched her back, suddenly finding it difficult to lie still. Her legs moved on their own accord while she clutched the bedsheets, her breathing fast and shallow. Byleth continued teasing her while kissing her neck and collarbones. She gave in to the feeling, closing her eyes. 

However, Byleth pulling the straps of the petticoat down in an attempt to remove it brought her back to reality. Opening her eyes suddenly she held his hands in place. 

“I’m sorry”, he whispered, looking quite guilty. “Do you want me to stop?”

Edelgard held his hand to her heart not sure how to reply. She didn’t want him to stop. She longed for him, longed to be his. And yet, no one had really seen her since...those procedures. Anxiety set in the pit of her stomach. 

“No”, she said looking away.

“You can keep it on if you’d like”, Byleth said softly, stroking her cheek. “We don’t have to hurry”.

Grateful, she brought his hand to her lips and kissed it. Without a word he pulled her into his arms. They stayed like this for few moments, Edelgard felt soothed by the embrace and the warmth of her lover’s body. To his surprise she guided his hands back to her bosom.

“Continue”, she commanded, when he gave her a puzzled look. Her dominant tone contrasted with her blush. Byleth however didn’t have to be told twice. He teased her through the thin layer of fabric, his eyes never leaving her face, but to his relief it expressed nothing but pleasure. Encouraged, he moved his hand down, stroking her thigh like she did to him before. Edelgard welcomed the sensation and didn’t protest when the hand slipped under the petticoat to remove her stockings. She felt his fingers on her inner thigh, light and gentle. They felt almost like a fly on her skin, making her shiver adding fuel to the fire that seemed to be burning inside her. It wasn’t enough anymore. Slowly, she guided Byleth to the source of that heat. She hid her face in the nook of his neck to muffle her moans as it rubbed against her damp underwear. Her legs constricted as if trying to lock his hand in place. Her movements were becoming erratic and desperate when he suddenly stopped.

“Byleth…!” she whined. 

“Forgive me”, he breathed in her ear. “But will you let me…?” he asked, fingers hooked under the garment.

Edelgard nodded, her mouth going dry. 

Byleth gently pushed her against the pillows. He pulled her smallclothes down her legs and tossed them aside. The girl watched him with half lidded eyes as he positioned himself between her thighs. He reminded her of a curious animal inching closer to her. She fought off the urge to close her legs, even though his eyes bore into her body, lips slightly parted. Despite how undignified their position was, there was something innocent in the way he examined her, gently stroking and teasing her with his fingers. She jumped up as he brushed over her most sensitive spot. 

“Did it hurt?

“N-no, don’t worry” she stuttered. 

Calmed, he began caressing her again. She squirmed against the pillows, eyes shut. His touch grew bolder as soon as he made sure he wasn’t causing her pain. He held her hips gently in place with one hand as she was finding it more and more difficult to lie still. Suddenly she felt him withdraw but before she could protest he planted a gentle kiss where his fingers were a moment ago. 

Edelgard opened her eyes to find him smiling at her lovingly. Before she could say anything he moved down and kissed her more, his tongue sliding between her folds. The wet heat of his mouth, mixing with her own, and the torturous pleasure he gave her were slowly bringing her to the edge. She gathered the last of her self control.

“Byleth”, she said in a hoarse voice.

“Hm?”, he perked up and rested his head against her hip.

“I think I was being selfish”, she confessed running her fingers through his unruly hair. “Come here”.

He obeyed and she rewarded him with a kiss. There was an unknown flavour on his lips. Her own, she realised, flushing slightly. She didn’t let it show, hiding her face in his chest again to plant soft kisses on his skin. Curious, she brushed her lips against his nipples, delighted to find out they were as sensitive as hers. She played with them for a while, enjoying the sighs and moans of the man. His stoic demeanor crumbled like castle walls and it was her doing. She found the thought arousing. Encouraged by her success, she kissed her way down his stomach and stopped at the hem of his trousers. 

“Is it...”

“Please”, Byleth almost begged. The girl never heard him speak like that. She felt guilty. He was pleasing her and holding back for her sake and she neglected him. Her hands shook slightly as she undid the buttons and finally undressed her lover completely. She gulped, staring at the hard member. The day she found the blood on her thighs for the first time her caregivers callously explained to her the duty of making an heir. They described the procedure as rather unpleasant and the man’s role in it as almost...predatory. Nervous as she was, it didn’t seem like that to her. She’d never seen Byleth so vulnerable. Shyly, she reached out and wrapped her fingers around him, slightly surprised by the smoothness of his skin. Somehow he grew even harder under her touch. She stroked him gently, watching him squirm in pleasure. So sensitive, she marvelled. Her lips trembled slightly as she inched closer and pecked him. He inhaled loudly, his hands wrapping themselves in her hair. Feeling more sure of herself, Edelgard kissed and licked along the shaft. 

“El…!”, Byleth exclaimed as she took the tip in her mouth and sucked gently. The girl looked up at him. His eyes were clouded by pleasure, glimmering in the candle light. She teased him some more just to indulge in the sight. Maybe they shouldn’t be doing that, but she found some devious satisfaction in that. They were the only people who saw that side of each other. Somewhat comforted by the thought the girl rose to face Byleth (not without some complaining noises when she stopped pleasuring him). Her hands shook slightly when she removed the last piece of clothing, revealing the scars on her chest. Out of reflex she wrapped her arms around herself to cover them. She avoided Byleth’s eyes, afraid she might see disgust in them. Instead, he just pulled her into a tight embrace whispering words of comfort in her ear. Quietly, she sighed in relief. 

They stayed for a moment before Edelgard took Byleth’s hands in hers and made him sit against the pillows. She positioned herself in his lap, stern expression masking nervousness. Byleth however, saw through her just like he used to see through their fibs about homework. 

“It’s not a duel, girl”, he said softly, stroking her head. “Don’t be afraid”.

“I’m not”, she denied, pursing her lips. Byleth didn’t argue, instead massaged her trying to ease the tension. She tried to simply enjoy the sensation rather than brace herself for the pain. 

“We can wait”, he whispered, but Edelgard shook her head.

“I’m done waiting” she said almost desperately, looking him deep in the eye. He nodded.

Edelgard put one arm around Byleth’s neck and used the other to gently guide him inside her. She hissed in discomfort but didn’t let her lover back down. She lowered herself until they were joined. They didn’t move, holding onto each other tightly. Byleth’s heavy breath tickled the girl’s neck as he stroked her back and hair to soothe her. 

Few moments passed before she tried moving her hips, eliciting a moan from her lover. The pain was still there, strangely mixed with pleasure. She tried to focus on the latter. She rested her forehead against Byleth’s, fingers tangled in his hair. 

“El", he breathed, staring back with dilated pupils. “El”, he repeated, locking her tightly in his arms as if he wished for them to literally become one. Their lips joined in a hungry kiss. He began to move with her, trying to match her rhythm. She gasped into his mouth, heat pooling inside her. She moved against him desperately, pain almost forgotten as the pleasure was becoming unbearable. A violent spasm seemed to shake her body as she was brought over the edge, dragging her lover with her.  
They collapsed on the pillows, panting heavily. Edelgard curled against Byleth shivering slightly. She put her ear above his heart, listening to the beloved sound of its beating as it was slowing down. She felt her eyes burn as tears gathered in them.

“El? Did I hurt you?”, Byleth asked in a concerned voice when he felt her tears on his skin. Edelgard just shook her head. He said no more, instead he held her tight as she wept gently, listening to his heartbeat.


End file.
